Quick detachable electrical connector



Oct. 11, 1955 G. H. HART 2,720,634

QUICK DETACHABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Jan. 15, 1954 GEORGE H.HART

ATTOR N EYS United States Patent QUICK DETACHABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Gecrge H. Hart, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to The Hart Manufacturing Company, Hartford, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application January 15, 1954, Serial No. 404,263

Claims. (Cl. 33995) This invention relates in general to electrical connecting devices for attaching together two current carrying members and pertains more particularly to a connector of the quick connect and disconnect variety in which one end of an electrical conductor is releasably clamped to another current carrying member.

One object of the invention is to provide a connector of the foregoing character which is compact and composed of few parts, the parts being inexpensively fabricated and easily assembled without the aid of tools or resort to auxiliary fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a quick detachable electrical connector in which the parts are firmly held in place without likelihood of accidental dislodgement or separation.

Further object of the invention is to provide a connector, the parts of which are anchored so as not to affect adversely the resilient gripping action or to interfere with the release of the clamped conductor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a detachable connector lending itself readily for use with a separate switch contact member, the invention contemplating the utilization of yieldable or compliant contact member which makes full use of the length of the housing encasing the various parts constituting the connector forming the subject matter of the instant invention.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is an elevational view of the connector partly in section and before the insertion of an electrical conductor therein;

Figure 2 is a left hand end view of Figure 1, the lower portion of the contact member being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the spring and contact elements before being positioned within the casing or housing; and

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 with the conductor element shown in its clamped or gripped position.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the electrical connector or wire grip of the present invention is depicted as applied to a terminal binding post A, such as the terminal post of an electric switch or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the binding post comprises a cup-shaped housing of electrical insulating material having a top wall 14, a bottom wall 16, two side walls 18 and 20, and end wall 22, these walls forming a rectilinear well 24. Subjacent the top wall 14 and disposed in the side walls 18 and 20 is a pair of longitudinal upper grooves 26 extending inwardly from the open end of the housing 10. A similar pair of grooves 28 is positioned at an elevation spaced below the upper grooves. The top wall 14 is provided with a downwardly facing notch 38, forming an abutment or shoulder 31, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

Positioned between the two side walls 18 and 20 is a resilient spring element designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 32. The spring element 32 in its normal position as viewed in Figure 1 is generally heart shaped with the lower end or point omitted. Preferably, the element 32 is fabricated from a good quality spring steel and includes converging leg portions 34 and 36, and a bridging portion 38 connecting these leg portions together. A hook end 40 of reduced size is formed on the lower end of the leg portion 34, whereas the leg portion 36 preferably has its lower end 41 unreduced. A further distinction between the leg portions resides in the fact that the latter leg portion is equipped with an integral operating lever 42.

The bridge portion 38 is downwardly curved and thus forms a pair of longitudinally spaced humps or lobes 43 which are engageable with the under side of the top wall 14. Substantially midway between these two humps or lobes 43 is a pair of lateral wings 44 which are receivable in upper longitudinal grooves 26, the lower sides of these wings frictionally bearing against the lower sides of the said grooves. By reason of the humps or lobes 43 and the lateral wings 44, it will be observed that these sections may be formed so that they are slightly flexed relative to each other when inserted into the grooves 26, and in this way sufficient frictional resistance may be provided which obviates any tendency for the spring element 32 to become displaced from its initially installed position within the housing 10.

Further cooperating with the humps 43 and lateral wings 44 to resist movement of the spring element 32 is an upwardly inclined tongue 46 struck from the region of the bridging portion 38 lying intermediate the wings 44. When the spring element 32 is introduced into the well 24, the element 32 assumes the position shown in Figure 1 and the tongue 46 then engages the abutment or shoulder 31 to prevent the withdrawal of said element 32.

In the lower part of the well 24 is positioned a reversely bent current carrying member 48, forming an elongated switch element which may cooperate with an other switch element not shown. T o assure good current carrying properties, the member 48 is preferably made of copper or other metal having a low resistivity. In this structural arrangement which has been selected solely for the purpose of explaining the invention, the member 43 is comprised of an upper portion 50 and a lower portion 52, the lower portion carrying a contact 53 which, as above mentioned, may engage another switch contact not disclosed. However, it will be understood that the member 48 may be integrally connected to another electrical conductor or wire if desired, it not being absolutely necessary that the member 48 be a part of a make and break switch unit. However, the pictured construction does afford certain advantages when used as a switch element, as will presently be made apparent. Provided in the upper portion 50 of the member 48 is a transverse slot 54, into which the reduced hook end 40 projects, thereby anchoring the leg portion 34 to said member 48. The upper portion 59 is further equipped with a pair of laterally spaced spring fingers 56 which engage the upper surface of the lower longitudinal grooves 28, there being marginal sections or wings 58 on the upper portion 50 which bear against the lower sides of these grooves. By so mounting the current carrying member 48, it Will be seen that full utilization is made of the length of the housing 19, any flexing of the lower portion which carries the contact 53 being pivoted about the looped end of r by thereference numeral 64;

condition is shown in Figure 3. V assembled, the end 41 of the leg portion 36, which is 3 V said member 48.- Thus, it will be seen that the member 48 may very effectively serve as a stationary switch element or, if desired, the member provides sulficient resiliency so that it may b611 6 movable switch elem nt and it would then be physicallyactua'ted toward an vundisclosed switch contact to complete a circuit into which the binding post A may be connected. U

. To permit entry of an electrical conductor .60, Such as an insulated wire bared at one end, into the housing 10, there is provided in the end wall 22an aperture .62.

In order to permit the leg portion 36 .to be flexed up wardly from the conductor 60, assuming that the con ductor has firstbeen :inserted in the manner pictured in Figure .4, the operating lever 42 extends through-a shot in end wall '22, the locus of such slot being indicated inclined .at an angle with the general plane of .the upper portion 50, merely rests upon said upper portion. The

element 32 and the member 48 are then ready to be inserted within the rectilinear well 24, and this is accom- A inbefore mentioned, that a cooperating switch contact p'lished by merely introducing the wings 44 into'the upper grooves 26 while simultaneously entering the marginal section or wings 58 of the member 48 into the lower grooves 28. Such action then permits the two members to be moved as a unit to the right as viewed in Figure '1 until the parts have assumed the relative position shown in this figure. It will be noted that when these parts have "been fully inserted, then the tongue 46 automatically deflects upwardly into the notch 30, the tongue being biased in such a direction by having previously been bent-upwardly to such an extent that it has the requisite amount of bias. During the insertive movement of the parts 32 and 48 to the right, the tongue 46 merely bears against the :lower side of the top wall 14, there being suflicient resiliency in the tongue to permit a slightly downward deflection in the course of this movement, which resiliency thereafter causes said tongue to snap upwardly into :the notch as above explained.

The binding post A is then ready for the reception of the electrical conductor 60. The conductor is moved from its right hand position, as shown in Figure 1, into' tion, the conductor 60 causes the leg portion 36, which is quite resilient, to be flexed upwardly, and any attempt to .etxract the'bared end of the conductor 60 meets with appreciable, if not complete, resistance to withdrawal, inasmuch as the :free end of the leg portion 36 literally digs into the curved surface of the electrical conductor or wire 60, and thus the greater the pull, the greater the resistance.

However, when it is desired to release the conductor, the-operating lever 42 may be depressed from the position shown in Figure 4, such depressing of the lever fulcruming the free end of the leg portion '36 upwardly to permit the conductor to be withdrawn by pulling said conductor. toward the right as viewed in Figure 4. In thisway the conductor 60 may be readily inserted, and the particular size of the conductor does not adversely influence the gripping action, inasmuch as the leg portion '36 will simply be deflected or flexed to a greater extent in'an upward direction when the conductor is of a larger size. If the binding post A is to be employed as partof a switch structure, -it will be appreciated, as heremay be suitably disposed beneath the contact 53, and in this way the circuit may be. conveniently interrupted by separating the contact 53 from the undisclosed contact.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without depart-- ng f om. the sc pe thereo it i in ended t t ll ma contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 4

It is also to be understood that the language used in thefollowing claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features pf the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be'said to fall therebetween.

lclaimasmvz nvemion;

A quid: de sha e elestri al sonne tqr comprise ng a housi e ndias. atop walla- 1d r nsvers ly p d side w ls, a pr n el ment di pose between the id walls includin apa o. one mdinally sp e l ngitudinally and downwardly inglined converging leg por- Lions and a beds de part es es imati g wi h said le po t o c op ti me n .-sa; d si e Walls and s i said contact member may be ,.gripped an electrical .conductor. V

2. A quick detachable electrical connector comprising a housi g nclud n tqp iv lan tr sr r ly Spaced side walls, .a spring elementdisposed between the side W lls including a .pair 'of. long tu in y sp ced downwardly and inwardly inclined iconverging .leg 1 portions and a bridging "Portion .connecting qthe i pperends of said leg a rti nsr said :bridgingipertion having an upwardly .con- .vex section {rictionally engageahlenwith the underside .of said top wall, cooperating means -.on said side walls and said bri ging portions for supporting said spring element at an elevation to'effect frictional engagement of said convex section with said underside .of the top wal-l, a longitudinally extending contact member. underlying said spring element and attached to the free end of one of said leg portions, :the .other ieg pontiun having its free end in a proximal relation .withsaid contact; member and forming-a releasable clamping dog between which and said contact member may ;be gripped an electrical. con

ductor.

3. A .quick detachable .electrical connector comprisinga housing includinga .top wall and spaced sidewalls which'side walls are interiorly provided withx-longitudinal grooves subjacent said :top .iW-all, a spring element disposed :between :t-he side walls including .a .pair .of down' wardly converging leg portions and a bridging portion connecting with said ileg portions, that-bridging portion having a downwardly curved section forming a pair of longitudinally spaced high points engageable with the underside ,of said :top wall and said downwardly curved section carrying oppositely projecting wings engageable with the lower sides .of said grooves, and an elongated contact .rnembe'r underlying said spring element, .one vof said :leg portions gbeing anchored to the contact member and the other leg portion having its :free ,endin a proxi- 7 mal relation with said contact member :for gripping an 7 notch and which side walls are interiorly provided'with electrical conductor therebetween.

4. A quick detachable electrical connector comprising a housing including a 'top wall and spaced side walls which top wall is provided witha downwardly facing longitudinal grooves subjacent saidtop wall, a spring element disposed between :the side walls including a pair of downwardly converging leg portions, one of which leg portions is equipped with a hooked end, and a bridging portion connecting with said leg portions, the bridging portion having an upwardly inclined tongue engageable in said notch and a downwardly curved section forming a pair of longitudinally spaced lobular regions engageable with the underside of said top wall and said downwardly curved section carrying oppositely projecting wings engageable with the lower sides of said grooves, and an elongated contact member underlying said spring element provided with a transverse slot into which said hooked end projects to anchor said one leg portion to said contact member and the other leg portion having its free end in a proximal relation with said contact member for gripping an electrical conductor therebetween.

5. A quick detachable connector comprising a housing including top, end and spaced side walls, said top wall having a downwardly facing notch, and the side walls being interiorly provided with upper and lower longitudinal grooves, the upper grooves being subjacent said top wall, a spring element disposed between the side Walls including a pair of downwardly converging leg portions, one of which leg portions is equipped with a hooked end, and a bridging portion connecting with said leg portions, the bridging portion having a downwardly curved section forming a pair of longitudinally spaced lobular regions engageable with the underside of said top wall and said downwardly curved section carrying oppositely projecting wings engageable with the lower sides of said upper grooves, an inclined tongue carried by said bridgirig portion engageable in said notch to prevent movement of said spring element in a direction away from said end wall, and a reversely bent contact member having an upper portion provided with a transverse slot into which said hooked end projects, marginal side sections engageable with the lower sides of the lower grooves and upwardly directed spring fingers engageable with the upper sides of said lower grooves, the other of said leg portions having its free end in a proximal relation with the upper portion of said contact member for gripping an electrical conductor therebetween and having a lever arm operatively connected thereto for the release of said conductor, said end wall having a first aperture through which said electrical conductor may be inserted to permit gripping thereof and a second aperture through which said lever arm extends to permit external manipulation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

